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Thick Calacatta marble counters wrap streamlined sage green flat-front cabinetry, painted in Farrow & Ball's "Mizzle." The island pendants are Cedar & Moss, and the Alfi Low-Back counter stools are by Jasper Morrison for Emeco.

For this Swedish kitchen, an extra-thin slab of Carrara marble was used for the countertop and backsplash so that it would recede into the space, not overwhelm it. The room is also outfitted with IKEA cabinets painted a serene powder blue—adding a vintage vibe, and a high-low sense of style.

This Denver kitchen sets a marble backsplash, that continues up the wall as the backsplash for a display shelf, against walnut cabinetry and countertops of an alternate gray material.

The island bar in the kitchen features white Arcilla Field tiles by Ann Sacks that match the turquoise tiles used in the guest bathroom. The lights above the bench are classic VL45 Radiohus pendants, which were originally designed in the 1940s by Danish architect Vilhelm Lauritzen for Louis Poulsen for the construction of the Radiohuset building in Copenhagen.

The kitchen includes two sinks and dishwashers, one to serve as a scullery for events. The island surface is soapstone and the counters Carrera marble.

Be selective about splurging. One of the hardest, yet potentially most satisfying, parts of staying on budget is learning where to save and where to splurge. There are certain items or pieces that are worthy of spending more on, whether it’s a sofa that will last you a decade or kitchen countertops that will really help improve the value of your home. Your contractor or other design professional can advise you on locations or pieces where a higher-quality product is important versus something more basic.

"If you like the look of higher ceilings, choose a home that already has your preferred ceiling height,” says Eskandari. “Raising the height of ceilings is possible, but extremely labor intensive and costly. Taking down walls to create an open concept space is one of the most common requests from homeowners. Make sure you know which walls are load-bearing, as those are a lot more expensive to take down.”

Sunlight from the leafy courtyard dapples the airy kitchen.

Pops of green lacquer-painted wood, gently spotlit to heighten their presence, are juxtaposed against walnut cabinetry and a poured-in-place terrazzo countertop.

A long window was used as a backsplash in the kitchen to bring in even more light to the space.

The backsplash and counters are marble, which will patina overtime. The couple found the handwoven rug while traveling in Morocco.

The semi-enclosed kitchen has a barbecue and a two-burner propane stove from Coleman. The Gersby bookcase, kitchen cabinets and countertop are also from Ikea while the drop cloth is from Chicago Canvas and Supplies.

Expansive windows in the kitchen frame views of the nearby forest and meadows.

"I often choose finishes that allow the natural texture to show through, and finishes that emphasize the cathedrals and burls of the graining,